Managed fiber connectivity systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9453971-B2
Application number	US-201313939826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2013
Priority date	Jul 11, 2012
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A communications connection system includes an SC fiber optic connector including a storage device having memory configured to store physical layer information. The storage device also includes electrical contacts or an RFID antenna coil connected to the memory for transmitting information to a management system. The communications connection system also includes a fiber optic adapter module having one or more media reading interfaces. Each media reading interface is configured to read physical layer information stored on one of the fiber optic connectors received at the adapter module. Example media reading interfaces include electrical contacts and RFID readers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic connector configured to be received at an optical adapter, the fiber optic connector comprising:
a body configured to surround an optical fiber that extends longitudinally through the body, the body having a cavity accessible through a slot defined in the body, the body including shelves that at least partially define the cavity; and
an RFID tag sealed within the cavity defined in the body, the RFID tag including a transmission member for communicating information from memory to a data management system;
wherein the slot is sized to receive the RFID tag edge-wise, and the RFID tag is seated on the shelves in the cavity.

2. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the slot opens from a front of the body.

3. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the slot opens from a rear of the body.

4. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the body includes an outer body slidable relative to an inner body, the inner body holding the optical fiber and the outer body defining a gripping portion.

5. The fiber optic connector of claim 4 , wherein the fiber optic connector includes an SC connector.

6. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber is disposed in a ferrule coupled to the body.

7. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , further comprising a plug piece coupled to the body to close the RFID tag within the cavity.

8. The fiber optic connector of claim 7 , wherein the plug piece is welded to the body.

9. The fiber optic connector of claim 7 , wherein the plug piece is glued to the body.

10. The fiber optic connector of claim 7 , wherein the plug piece is overmolded to the body.

11. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the body includes an outer body slidable relative to an inner body, the inner body defining a longitudinally extending gap that aligns with a gap between the shelves.

12. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a latch for securing the fiber optic connector to an adapter.

13. The fiber optic connector of claim 12 , wherein the fiber optic connector includes an LC connector.

14. The fiber optic connector of claim 12 , wherein the body includes a front housing piece and a rear housing piece, the front housing piece including the latch and the rear housing piece defining the slot.

15. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the slot is overmolded shut.

16. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein a boot is mounted to the body to cover the slot.

17. The fiber optic connector of claim 1 , wherein the body is a single-piece body.

Assignees

• Adc Telecommunications Inc
• Tyco Electronics Ltd Uk
• Commscope Technologies Llc
• Commscope Connectivity Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Anderson David J
• Lambourn Stephen

Classifications

• G02B6/381 Primary

  of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres · CPC title

• G02B6/3895 Primary

  identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts (keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64) · CPC title

• G02B6/3874

  using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules · CPC title

• G06K7/10366

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title

• G06K2007/10485

  Arrangement of optical elements · CPC title